Subjects

Departments

Maths

Mr King

We are incredibly passionate about our mathematics and strive for all students to reach their potential. Students are taught key mathematical concepts and then provided with a calm environment within which they can practice and master the skills. Students produce a large volume of work, with particular focus being paid to mathematical layout, presentation and storytelling. Pupils enjoy, are motivated and enthused while in their mathematics lessons.

Further work on algebraic skills developed in year 7. To include more complex linear equations and rearranging formulae.

Key skills applied to shape and space, area and perimeter of shapes.

Further work on shape and space to include Pythagoras’ Theorem.

Key assessment details:

Students will be assessed twice termly. Assessment tests are carefully standardised prior to use to ensure that the level of challenge is correct for individual groups of students. A performance pass mark for each test is also agreed. The content of tests generally focusses upon work done within a given period of time but also will focus upon more general themes learnt over time. Tests are carefully marked and individual staff in charge of each year group ensure results are centrally recorded and interrogated to ascertain the performance of individual students and classes. This then informs leaders within the department about any intervention strategies that may be needed to be put in place to ensure students are making the required progress. Prior data such as SATS, CATS and a base line test are also used to measure individual progress. End of school grades are awarded based upon the collective results of all assessments throughout the year.

Aims:

The Maths course is based on the Edexcel Mathematics examinations. Students enjoy a very high level of success and the work covered is both stimulating and relevant. The most able students will begin ‘A’ Level work by studying Pure Maths from our ‘A’ Level course.

At the end of Year 11 students may sit the OCR additional GCSE, which also has the advantage of UCAS (University entrance) points. This has proved to be excellent preparation for ‘A’ Level and a stimulating course for those of higher ability.

Approximately 70% of students are entered at the Higher Tier of GCSE, grades range from 9 – 4. Those who find Mathematics more challenging are entered for the Foundation Level where the grades range from 5 – 1.

All students in Years 9, 10 and 11 study a pathway of work dependent on their ability group. A collection of work is studied and then assessed every half term. As the half terms progress, students are expected to retain all previous topics taught and the assessments reflect this expectation. Every attempt is made to provide individual students with a course that is both challenging and attainable.

Content:

The assessments will cover the following content headings:

Number

Algebra

Ratio, proportion and rates of change

Geometry and measures

Probability

Statistics

Key assessment details:

Two tiers are available: Foundation and Higher (content is defined for each tier).

Each student is permitted to take assessments in either the Foundation tier or Higher tier.

The qualification consists of three equally-weighted written examination papers at either Foundation tier or Higher tier.

All three papers must be at the same tier of entry and must be completed in the same assessment series.

Paper 1 is a non-calculator assessment and a calculator is allowed for Paper 2 and Paper 3.

Each paper is 1 hour and 30 minutes long.

Each paper has 80 marks.

The content outlined for each tier will be assessed across all three papers.

Each paper will cover all Assessment Objectives, in the percentages outlined for each tier.

Each paper has a range of question types; some questions will be set in both mathematical and non-mathematical contexts. The qualification will be graded and certificated on a nine-grade scale from 9 to 1 using the total mark across all three papers where 9 is the highest grade. Individual papers are not graded.